Eataly opens beach-inspired restaurant, plus other restaurant news

The second level of Eataly is getting a beachy makeover with its newest concept Sabbia, which means “sand” in Italian.

The 180-seat restaurant will take over the spaces formerly occupied by La Piazza, which served street food and wine, and Il Pesce, which served fresh seafood, and will use all four kitchens at the Italian market and food hall emporium.

The restaurant will only be open in the summer, according to Nico Dagnino, Eataly’s general manager. The decor evokes coastal vibes, with striped walls, umbrellas, cabanas and boating paraphernalia. “It’s all about bringing summer inside,” Dagnino said.

Appropriately, the menu features land and sea fare, plus a caprese bar and an oyster boat. Among the highlights on the menu are the spiedini, small bites of skewered seafood, like Gulf shrimp served with an herb salsa verde, and swordfish served with a trapanese tomato-and-almond pesto and extra virgin olive oil.

For those looking for heartier options, there will be a variety of seafood pastas, like the pansotti alla genovese, a personal favorite of executive chef William Serafini. The pasta is a spinach- and ricotta-filled pansotti pasta with a walnut pesto and Parmigiano-Reggiano. There’s also tagliatelle al nero allo scoglio, a squid ink pasta with shrimp, clams, Rhode Island calamari, white wine and tomato.

Drinks will also be warm weather-appropriate, like rosé, frozen drinks, cocktails, wines and beer. The oceanside theme will be present throughout the whole store, and Serafini said he hopes it will encourage people to try different things, like caprese gelato.

There’s an education component to the restaurant, with Aperol demonstrations, oyster-and-bubbly-wine classes and more. Serafini said he hopes Sabbia will not only bring in tourists, but also remind locals to come in as well.

SOUTH AUSTIN — Brown Sugar Bakery opened a new location, according to its Facebook page. The bakery is a South Side favorite, known for its decadent caramel cake and Obama cake, made with chocolate, yellow and red velvet cake and topped with chocolate drizzled pecans. 4800 W. Chicago Ave., brownsugarbakery.com

THE LOOP — Wow Bao will move next week from 175 W. Jackson Blvd. to a new location and will continue to serve hot steamed buns, pot stickers, and rice and noodle bowls. The new restaurant will also have self-serving animated cubbies. 200 N. Michigan Ave., wowbao.com

NEAR NORTH — Brightwok Kitchen will open a second location next month, serving vegetable-focused, Asian-inspired food that is gluten-free, dairy-free, and peanut-free. All the sauces will be vegan, and customers can choose from a variety of preset bowls or build their own. 1 E. Erie St., brightwok.com

LINCOLN PARK — Adam Kamin, beverage director and partner at The Delta, is opening a liquor store named Off Premise, which will carry spirits, wine and beer, Chicago Magazine reported. There will also be cocktail kits, conservas, coffees, jams and crackers. 1128 W. Armitage Ave., 773-770-3540, offpremisechicago.com

IRVING PARK — The Churro Waffle celebrated its grand opening this week, serving its namesake, as well as other varieties of waffles. There are also omelets, pancakes, chilaquiles, skillets, burgers, paninis and salads. 2845 W. Irving Park Road, 773-942-7757, thechurrowaffle.com

From charcoal-fueled tabletop barbecue to homestyle stir-fries to kimchi on everything — both traditional and the unexpected dishes — we're seeking out the best Korean food in Chicago. Follow along as we post a new dish every weekday.